Corner attachment assemblies for suspended payload containers of aircrafts

Abstract

Presented are corner attachment assemblies for cargo suspension systems, methods for making/using such assemblies, and aircraft equipped with underbody suspension systems using corner attachment assemblies for securing payload containers. Mounting assemblies are presented for securing objects to tether cables of suspension systems. A representative cargo mounting assembly includes a pair of shoulder clamps, each of which includes a flap that projects from a cup. Each shoulder clamp flap mechanically attaches, e.g., via a flap through-hole with a structurally reinforcing grommet, to a respective segment of a tether cable of a cargo suspension system. In addition, each shoulder clamp cup includes multiple noncoplanar, mutually adjoining contact surfaces. For instance, the cup may have a tetrahedral geometry with three mutually orthogonal, triangular-shaped contact surfaces. Each contact surface attaches, e.g., via a high-strength adhesive, to a respective surface of a corner of a cargo container.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. An object mounting assembly for securing an object to a tether cable of a suspension system, the object having a first corner opposite a second corner, the object mounting assembly comprising:
 a first shoulder clamp with a first flap projecting from a first cup, the first flap being configured to mechanically attach to a first segment of the tether cable, and the first cup including multiple noncoplanar mutually adjoining first contact surfaces, at least one of the first contact surfaces being configured to adhere to a respective surface of the first corner of the object; and 
 a second shoulder clamp with a second flap projecting from a second cup, the second flap being configured to mechanically attach to a second segment of the tether cable, and the second cup including multiple noncoplanar mutually adjoining second contact surfaces, at least one of the second contact surfaces being configured to adhere to a respective surface of the second corner of the object. 
 
     
     
       2. The object mounting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first contact surfaces of the first cup include a set of three first contact surfaces, each of the first contact surfaces having two terminal edges each adjoining a respective terminal edge of a neighboring one of the first contact surfaces, and wherein the second contact surfaces of the second cup include a set of three second contact surfaces, each of the second contact surfaces having two terminal edges each adjoining a respective terminal edge of a neighboring one of the second contact surfaces. 
     
     
       3. The object mounting assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the three first contact surfaces are mutually orthogonal, and wherein the three second contact surfaces are mutually orthogonal. 
     
     
       4. The object mounting assembly of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first contact surfaces has a first triangular shape and each of the second contact surfaces has a second triangular shape. 
     
     
       5. The object mounting assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the first triangular shapes and the second triangular shapes are coterminous and share a common right-triangle geometry. 
     
     
       6. The object mounting assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the object has a polyhedral shape, the first cup has a first tetrahedral shape, and the second cup has a second tetrahedral shape. 
     
     
       7. The object mounting assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a first adhesive layer located on two or more of the first contact surfaces, and a second adhesive layer located on two or more of the second contact surfaces. 
     
     
       8. The object mounting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first flap includes a first through-hole configured to receive the first segment of the tether cable or a first attachment device attached thereto, and the second flap includes a second through-hole configured to receive the second segment of the tether cable or a second attachment device attached thereto. 
     
     
       9. The object mounting assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first flap includes a first grommet seated in the first through-hole, and the second flap includes a second grommet seated in the second through-hole. 
     
     
       10. The object mounting assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first flap includes a first backing layer structurally reinforcing the first through-hole, and the second flap includes a second backing layer structurally reinforcing the second through-hole. 
     
     
       11. The object mounting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first shoulder clamp and the second shoulder clamp are fabricated from a plastic material or a paper material. 
     
     
       12. The object mounting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first shoulder clamp, including the first flap and the first cup, is a first single-piece structure, and the second shoulder clamp, including the second flap and the second cup, is a second single-piece structure. 
     
     
       13. An aircraft comprising:
 an airframe; 
 a rotor assembly and/or a pair of wings attached to the airframe; 
 a cargo suspension system attached to the airframe and including a tether cable configured to detachably couple thereto a cargo container; and 
 a cargo mounting assembly including:
 a first shoulder clamp with a first flap projecting from a first cup, wherein the first flap is attached to a first segment of the tether cable, and the first cup includes multiple noncoplanar mutually adjoining first contact surfaces, at least one of the first contact surfaces being configured to attach to a respective surface of a first corner of the cargo container; and 
 a second shoulder clamp with a second flap projecting from a second cup, wherein the second flap is attached to a second segment of the tether cable thereby connecting the second shoulder clamp to the first shoulder clamp, and the second cup includes multiple noncoplanar mutually adjoining second contact surfaces, at least one of the second contact surfaces being configured to attach to a respective surface of a second corner of the cargo container diagonally opposite the first corner. 
 
 
     
     
       14. A method of mounting an object to a tether cable of a suspension system, the object having a first corner opposite a second corner, the method comprising:
 positioning, on the first corner of the object, a first shoulder clamp with a first flap projecting from a first cup, the first flap being configured to mechanically attach to a first segment of the tether cable, and the first cup including multiple noncoplanar mutually adjoining first contact surfaces; 
 adhering each of the first contact surfaces to a respective surface of the first corner; 
 positioning, on the second corner of the object, a second shoulder clamp with a second flap projecting from a second cup, the second flap being configured to mechanically attach to a second segment of the tether cable, and the second cup including multiple noncoplanar mutually adjoining second contact surfaces; and 
 adhering each of the second contact surfaces to a respective surface of the second corner. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first contact surfaces of the first cup include a set of three first contact surfaces, each of the first contact surfaces having two terminal edges each adjoining a respective terminal edge of a neighboring one of the first contact surfaces, and wherein the second contact surfaces of the second cup include a set of three second contact surfaces, each of the second contact surfaces having two terminal edges each adjoining a respective terminal edge of a neighboring one of the second contact surfaces. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first contact surfaces are mutually orthogonal, and wherein the second contact surfaces are mutually orthogonal, and wherein each of the first contact surfaces has a first triangular shape and each of the second contact surfaces has a second triangular shape. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first shoulder clamp further includes a first adhesive layer located on two or more of the first contact surfaces, and the second shoulder clamp further includes a second adhesive layer located on two or more of the second contact surfaces. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first flap includes a first through-hole configured to receive the first segment of the tether cable or a first attachment device attached thereto, and the second flap includes a second through-hole configured to receive the second segment of the tether cable or a second attachment device attached thereto. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first shoulder clamp and the second shoulder clamp are molded or printed from a polymeric material or are cut or stamped and folded from flat paper blanks. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first shoulder clamp, including the first flap and the first cup, is produced as a first single-piece structure, and the second shoulder clamp, including the second flap and the second cup, is produced as a second single-piece structure.